Holly Marie Combs

Although she had a number of minor roles in the late 1980s, including a brief speaking part in Oliver Stone's Born on the Fourth of July, Combs' major acting debut arrived in the 1992 TV drama series Picket Fences. She auditioned for the role of Kimberly while she was in New York. The casting agent told her that she wasn't right for the part because, "She didn't have a big enough heart." Combs retorted, "If you're looking for someone with a big heart, what the hell are you doing in New York?" She was later called back and offered the job. Picket Fences ran for four years, winning Combs critical acclaim and a Young Artist award.

In 1997, she played real-life convicted murderess Diane Zamora in the television movie Swearing Allegiance, a far cry from Combs' typical good girl roles. Combs was with her friend Shannen Doherty when Doherty was given the pilot script for Charmed. Doherty took Combs along to the audition when Combs said she wanted to take part in the audition. When they did, Combs auditioned for the role of Prue Halliwell and Doherty for Piper Halliwell, but they ended up switching roles.

In 1993, Combs married Bryan Travis Smith, and they divorced in 1997. She then went on to marry former Charmed key-grip and long-time boyfriend David Donoho in February, 2004. They are the parents of three sons: Finley, Riley, and Kelley.